Golf club head cover

ABSTRACT

A golf club head cover comprising a chamber adapted to receive the head of a golf club, a shell depending from the chamber adapted to receive the shaft of a golf club, a means for selectively opening and closing the head cover, axial stiffening members and longitudinal stiffening members.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This invention relates to golf club head covers. Moreparticularly, this invention relates to golf club head covers used toprotect woods or metal woods. It should be realized that the inventioncan be used as a head cover for irons as well.

[0002] Many golf club head covers presently are made from very soft andpliable materials that do not adequately protect the shaft of the golfclub. Furthermore, traditional golf club head covers have a wide openingto accommodate the club head resulting in a large gap between the shaftof the club and the head cover. The problem with such golf club headcovers is that when a golf club is placed into a bag, the open end ofthe golf club head cover encounters other clubs or club divider elementsand often rides up the shaft, providing no protection to the shaftduring its residence in the bag. This problem is particularlytroublesome with woods which more and more frequently employ relativelylow surface hardened graphite-type shafts. Also presently, golf clubhead covers are made of a singular type of material. Accordingly, a golfclub head cover having a portion of the head cover that fits snuglyaround the shaft of the golf club, as well as the head of the golf club,is desirable. It would also be desirable to have a golf club head covermade from two different materials so that a more rigid material cansurround the shaft portion of the golf club so that the golf club headcover will not slip off when the golf club is placed back into the golfbag.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0003] According to one embodiment, the golf club head cover of thisinvention comprises a housing or chamber adapted to receive the head ofa golf club and optionally a portion of the shaft and hosel. The coveralso includes a shell or neck adapted to receive a shaft portion of thegolf club, the shell having stiffening members adapted to providelongitudinal stiffness and a means for selectively opening and closing.

[0004] The housing can be made of a pliable material. The housing mayfurther comprise stiffening members adapted to provide axial stiffnessto the housing.

[0005] The shell, which is connected to the housing, is adapted toreceive the upper shaft portion of the golf club. The shell may have ageneral U-shaped cross section, which is most prominent in an openposition. The shell and optionally a portion of the housing may beselectively opened and closed so that the golf club can be inserted intoand taken out of the head cover. The shell may be made from a materialthat is more rigid than the material used to manufacture the housing.

[0006] Preferably the sidewalls are connected to one another at a closededge and selectively opened along a second edge. Preferably thesidewalls are tapered, being narrower at their open end such that thesidewalls are closer to the shaft of the golf club at an end distal thehousing and gradually increasing in distance away from the shaft at anend proximal the housing.

[0007] Stiffening members preferably form an element of the sidewalls ofthe shell. The stiffening members provide longitudinal stiffness to theshell portion of the head cover. The stiffening members may extendsubstantially the entire length of the sidewall.

[0008] The head cover further comprises a means to open and close theshell. This means could be a zipper, Velcro, buttons or other suitablefasteners. In the preferred embodiment, a zipper is used. The zipper isplaced along the terminal edges of the sidewalls of the shell. Thezipper runs along a longitudinal axis of the shaft of the club andapproximately bisects an imaginary line extending from the chamber ofthe head cover.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the inventive head cover.

[0010]FIG. 2 is a side view of the head cover.

[0011]FIG. 3 is a front view of the head cover.

[0012]FIG. 4 is a rear view of the head cover.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferredembodiment of the invention, an example of which is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings. While this invention will be described inconnection with the preferred embodiment, it will be understood that itis not intended to limit the invention to that embodiment. On thecontrary, it is intended to cover all alternatives, modifications andequivalents that may be included within the spirit and scope of theinvention defined by the appended claims. The preferred embodimentdisclosed is a golf club head cover for a wood-type golf club, but thisdisclosure and the appended claims are not limited to only wood-typegolf club head covers and may fairly cover head covers for iron-typegolf clubs as well. The references “front” and “rear” are used for abetter understanding of the invention and with respect to theorientation of the golf club head. These terms cannot limit the scope ofthe invention as a function of the presentation thereof into space.

[0014] Referring now to FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4, the inventive head cover Acomprises a housing or chamber 2 and a shell or neck 4. The housing maybe made from a pliable material which in the preferred embodiment isnubuck. Other materials with similar characteristics also may be used.The housing is shaped to receive the head of a golf club. The housingmay also be shaped to receive the hosel and a portion of the shaft of agolf club. The exact shape that the housing takes is not as important asthat it must be large enough to accommodate the head, and possiblyhosel, and a portion of the shaft of a golf club. The housing iscomprised of a top 20 and an outer wall 22. In the preferred embodiment,the top of the housing is somewhat circular and planar, however, it alsomay be shaped differently, such as arcuate or the like. The top of thehousing is large enough in circumference to at least substantiallysurround the head of the golf club. The outer wall depends from the topsurrounding at least a portion of the head of the golf club.

[0015] Forming an element of the outer wall are stiffeners 28. Thestiffeners circumferentially surround the outer wall. The stiffeners canprovide axial support to the outer wall. In the embodiment described inthe figures, three stiffening members are located on each lateral sideof the outer wall.

[0016] The shell or neck 4 comprises a first sidewall or leg 40connected at a closed end 48 to a second sidewall or leg 42. The shellmay have a generally U-shaped configuration when open or unzipped. Thefirst sidewall 40 has a first terminal end 44 distal the closed end 48and the second sidewall 42 has a second terminal end 46 also distal theclosed end 48. The first terminal end and the second terminal end can beselectively opened and closed to allow the insertion and extraction ofthe golf club shaft.

[0017] The shell is shaped and adapted to receive the shaft and perhapsa portion of the hosel and head of a golf club. The shell is made of amaterial that is more rigid than the housing. The shell, or neckportion, of the head cover can be made from a diamond check nylon oranother suitable similar material. The shell depends from the housing 2at a shell first end 50. A second end 52 of the shell is disposed distalthe chamber.

[0018] The means for fastening the first terminal end 44 to the secondterminal end 46 in the preferred embodiment is a zipper 8. It isunderstood that other fastening means such as snaps, Velcro fasteners,buttons and the like could be used to fasten the first terminal end tothe second terminal end. The zipper runs along the shaft of the headcover in the shell portion of the head cover and may continue into thehousing 2 essentially bisecting the housing. As best seen in FIG. 2 theterminal ends 44, 46 of the sidewalls or legs 40, 42 are tapered from asecond end of the shell 52 to a first end of the shell 50. At the shellsecond end 52 the terminal ends are closer to the shaft of the golfclub, then at the shell first end 50. The first terminal end 44, secondterminal end 46 and zipper 8 gradually taper away from the shaft of thegolf club towards the shell first end 50.

[0019] Not shown in the FIGS., the fastening means may also be locatedat the intersection of the first sidewall and the second sidewall, theintersection referred to in the FIGS. is closed end 48. In thisembodiment, the closed end 48 could taper much the same as the terminalends do in the embodiment shown in the FIGS. The fastening means couldbe located anywhere that allows a golf club to be easily inserted andtaken out of the head cover.

[0020] A first stiffener 60 can be formed as an element of the firstsidewall 40. A second stiffener 62 can also be formed as an element ofthe second sidewall 42. The stiffeners provide longitudinal support tothe shell or neck portion of the head cover. One reason for providingthe support is so that when the golf club is placed back into the golfbag the head cover will not tend to slip off if it hits other golf clubsor club dividing components in the golf bag while the golf club isentering into the golf bag. Inhibiting the cover from slipping off ofthe club as the golfer places it bag into the bag is also a reason formaking the shell out of a stiffer material than the housing or chamber.

[0021] The stiffeners can be longitudinally oriented. The stiffeners canextend substantially the entire length and width of the sidewall. Thestiffening members can be made of compressed ethylene vinyl acetate aswell as other suitable materials that could provide the adequatesupport.

[0022] While the invention has been described in conjunction withspecific embodiments thereof, it is evident that many alternatives,modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in theart. In light of the foregoing description, accordingly, it is intendedto embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variations as fallwithin the spirit and broad scope of the impended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A cover for protecting a head, hosel and aportion of a shaft of a golf club comprising: a housing adapted toreceive the head of the golf club, the housing comprised of a pliablematerial; a shell having a general u-shaped cross section in an openposition depending from the housing, the shell having sidewalls, a firstopen end and an opposed end connected to the housing; stiffening membersforming an element of the sidewalls; and a means for selectively openingand closing the cover.
 2. The cover according to claim 1 wherein thestiffening members are longitudinally oriented.
 3. The cover accordingto claim 1 wherein the stiffening members are comprised of ethylenevinyl acetate.
 4. The cover according to claim 1 wherein the stiffeningmembers extend substantially the entire length of the sidewall.
 5. Thecover according to claim 1 wherein the means for selectively opening andclosing the cover comprises a zipper.
 6. The cover according to claim 1further comprising stiffening members forming an element of the housingadapted to provide axial stiffness.
 7. The cover according to claim 1wherein the shell comprises a more rigid material than the housing.
 8. Ahead cover for a golf club comprising: a chamber; a shell depending fromthe chamber, the shell comprising stiffeners and legs connected at oneedge having opposed free edges, wherein the legs progressively narrow indiameter away from the chamber and wherein an imaginary line extendingparallel to the free edges approximately bisects the chamber; and ameans for selectively fastening the free edges.
 9. A head coveraccording to claim 8 further comprising axial stiffeners forming anelement of the chamber.
 10. A head cover according to claim 8 whereinthe chamber comprises opposed free edges in line with the free edges ofthe shell. 11 A head cover according to claim 10 wherein the means forselectively fastening the free edges of the shell also selectivelyfastens the free edges of the chamber. 12 A head cover according toclaim 8 wherein the chamber has a relatively planar top.
 13. A headcover according to claim 8 wherein the legs are substantially planar.14. A head cover according to claim 8 wherein the legs are arcuate. 15.A head cover according to claim 8 wherein the stiffeners arelongitudinally oriented on the shell.
 16. A head cover comprising: ahousing adapted to receive at least a portion of a head of an associatedgolf club, the housing comprised of a first material; and a hollow neckportion depending from the housing, the neck portion comprised of asecond less pliable material than the first material, the neck portionhaving a seam and stiffening members; and a means for selectivelyfastening the seam.
 17. A head cover according to claim 16 wherein thestiffening members extend substantially the entire length of the neckportion.
 18. A head cover according to claim 16 wherein the seam extendsinto the housing.
 19. A head cover according to claim 18 wherein themeans for selectively fastening the neck seam also selectively fastensthe housing seam.
 20. A head cover comprising: a means for receiving ahead of an associated golf club; a means for receiving a shaft of theassociated golf club, the means for receiving the shaft attached to themeans for receiving the head; a means for opening and closing the meansfor receiving the shaft; and a means for providing longitudinalstiffness to the means for receiving the shaft.
 21. A head coveraccording to claim 20 further comprising a means for providing axialstiffness to the means for receiving the head of the golf club.